Hamilton takes spectacular maiden Ferrari victory in Barcelona

Lewis Hamilton has finally done it. In a display of pure, unrelenting pace at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, the Briton claimed his maiden victory for Ferrari, effectively snapping the Mercedes winning streak that has dominated our screens throughout 2026. It was a tactical masterclass, with Ferrari choosing a daring three-stop strategy that looked like a gamble until it was gift-wrapped by a perfectly timed Virtual Safety Car. Hamilton didn't just win; he dominated, crossing the line 19.5s ahead of the field.

The real drama, however, played out in the final laps. Mercedes looked set to finish strong with their young star Kimi Antonelli, but a late-race collision with the grass—following a hard-fought move on teammate George Russell—forced a shock retirement on Lap 62. The 19-year-old’s exit, combined with the mechanical failure of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, turned a fierce tactical battle into a frantic sprint to the flag. Russell took second, and Lando Norris rounded out an all-British podium, the first of its kind since 1968.

It was a brutal day for the rest of the field, with seven official DNFs in total. Beyond the heartbreak for Antonelli and Leclerc, the race saw retirements for Lance Stroll, Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg, and Ollie Bearman. Further back, Pierre Gasly secured a solid P7 for Alpine, while Franco Colapinto, initially finishing P8, saw his day marred by a 10-second post-race penalty that dropped him to P10, promoting Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad into the points.